Accompanied by a displeased girl, Arthur exited the shrine and strolled toward the vine, the heart of Raijin Island.
Upon leaving, Arthur paid no heed to the Sandia warriors within the shrine, as Ope ope no mi trailed behind. Unbeknownst to him, he indeed held a hostage in his grasp.
"Why have you come to Raijin Island?" Walking alongside Arthur, she inquired.
"Didn't I already mention it? I'm here to claim godhood. Arthur is somewhat a kin to Kaido."
Ope ope no mi, the Sailor Moon, was undeniably beautiful, especially with her adorable little wings fluttering behind her, an irresistible allure. However, being only eleven years old, she was off-limits.
Arthur, resentful about his own wings, couldn't help but express his frustration. His wings were too small and impractical!
"They're like deformed angel wings. If I can't find a solution, I might as well remove them," he muttered.
"Why do you seek godhood here? You're already considered a god in Bika! I've heard of Bika—a nation with a million inhabitants. Jaya doesn't hold a candle to Bika's splendor. Why trouble yourself with Raijin Island?" The girl's gaze was intense, her cute face slightly flushed but still retaining its beauty.
"It's not just about Jaya or Raijin Island; it's about everything here. I aim to unite the sky islands and reign as the sole king of the skies—essentially, a god."
As Arthur continued walking, he spotted a small piece of gold.
"Oh?" Arthur's eyes sparkled as he picked up the gold.
"Lei Metallurgy!"
With a surge of electrical energy, a three-pointed, two-edged knife measuring three meters appeared in Arthur's hand.
ope ope no mi widened her eyes, witnessing this astonishing display. Unfamiliar with Devil Fruits, she saw this as a manifestation of divine power.
After observing for a moment, ope ope no mi posed another question: "If, hypothetically, the chief were to encounter you, what would occur?"
"It's quite simple." Arthur gazed satisfactorily at the gold three-pointed two-edged sword, treating it like a masterpiece in his hand, and casually responded, "I would clarify to your chief that as long as he acknowledges my godly status, I will allow him to return to Shandia's homeland."
"All I seek is surrender and the surplus gold. Additionally, the Shandora lamp will become the sky island's greatest treasure, ensuring its visibility to everyone!"
The massive golden clock, crafted entirely from gold, was beyond the imagination of Earth's inhabitants. Its 24K golden radiance was mesmerizing.
"You promise to let us live in peace? How can we trust you?" Despite ope ope no mi's decision to take a chance, the worry and doubt in her eyes remained evident.
"Hmm?" Arthur paused, shifting his attention from the sword to ope ope no mi. With one hand supporting his chin, he pondered under the girl's vigilant gaze.
"I can't predict ope ope no mi's fate!"
"Will that monster really keep his word?" ope ope no mi wondered aloud.
"I don't know. We'll find out when ope ope no mi returns," Arthur replied.
"But what if ope ope no mi doesn't return? What if this guy has been deceiving us from the start? ope ope no mi is too trusting...just in case we're being tricked..." ope ope no mi's companion voiced her concerns.
"Enough, let's stop talking about this. I trust ope ope no mi," Arthur asserted.
ope ope no mi's chin, previously held by Arthur, flushed crimson as she became somewhat dazed. It seemed like she wasn't speaking her own thoughts.
After a brief exchange, Arthur halted. Releasing ope ope no mi's chin, he resumed walking.
"The conversation we just had was overheard by your fellow guards, who discreetly avoided me," Arthur explained.
"What? That's impossible! It's such a long distance..." La Gong expressed disbelief.
"Believe it or not, that's how it happened. You can ask them when you return. As long as I'm present, I can sense everything in Raijin Island," Arthur stated.
"Of course, I don't use this ability frequently. If you're familiar with the Heart Network, you'll understand my capabilities—it's an extensive range," he added.
"So, if I concentrate, I'll soon pinpoint your tribe's location."
Arthur was bragging a bit here. His Observation Haki currently had a range of only about 25 kilometers.
The entire Raijin Island, with a diameter of one hundred kilometers, was beyond his current reach. However, he believed that in the future, covering both Raijin Island and Jaya Island would be achievable.
This was reminiscent of what Enel had done in the original story, and Arthur didn't believe his abilities could match Enel's. However, he was confident that in the future, he would not only reach Enel's level but surpass it significantly!
This self-assurance fueled Arthur's determination to become formidable. ope ope no mi,
on the other hand, had a pale expression, unsure whether to trust Arthur's claims.
"If what he says is true, finding the tribe's location will be effortless. If he doesn't pursue it further, it might indicate goodwill," ope ope no mi silently deliberated.
Upon reaching the towering vine, Arthur swiftly ascended with ope ope no mi
and soon reached its summit.
"Where is it? Shandora's lamp," Arthur exclaimed.
"Over there!" Standing atop the vine, Arthur easily spotted the location of Shandora's lamp.
A solitary high cloud, easily missed if not paid attention to. Its lofty position made it understandable why Enel's observation skills hadn't detected it.
With ope ope no mi by his side, Arthur swiftly made his way towards the cloud.
The golden light was blindingly dazzling. Even Arthur was taken aback by the sheer size of the golden clock, its pillars likely weighing dozens of tons.
Beside him, ope ope no mi covered her mouth in astonishment, tears welling up in her eyes as she approached the golden clock with trembling steps.